Meet the team for Glasgow 2014 - Sophie Pascoe & Nikita Howarth

Para Swimming golden girls Sophie Pascoe and Nikita Howarth are the only two Para-Swimmers that will be representing New Zealand at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Sophie Pascoe

Sophie has a long list of achievements in her swimming career including a number of world records.

Earlier in her career she was the dominant medal winner at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, hauling in 3 gold and 1 silver.

She went on to be awarded the international award for the Best Debut Performance of any athlete at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and was voted New Zealand’s favourite Paralympian for 2008.

In more recent times Sophie claimed five titles at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships and was awarded the 2013 Halberg Award for Disabled Sportsperson of the Year for the third year in a row.

Sophie will be competing in the SM10 200m IM and SB9 100m Breaststroke at Glasgow.

Achievements

2013  
Halberg Awards, Winner – Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Attitude Awards, Winner – Sports Performer of the Year
New Zealand Open Championship - World Record in 200m & 50m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly
IPC Swimming World Championships – Gold & World Record in 50m & 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly and Gold in 100m Backstroke and 100m Breaststroke.

2012  
Halberg Awards, Winner – Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Sport Canterbury Awards – Supreme Sportsperson of the Year
NZ Swimming Awards - Simmer of the Year with a Disability & People’s Choice Award
M2 Magazine - Sportswoman of the Year
London 2012 Paralympic Games – Gold & World Record in 200m IM and 100m Butterfly. Gold in 100m Freestyle. Silver in 50m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke and 100m Backstroke.

2011
Attitude Awards, Winner – Sport Performer of the Year
Halberg Awards, Winner – Disabled Athlete of the Year Award
Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Gold & World Record in 200m IM and 100m Butterfly. Gold in 100m Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle. Silver in 400m & 50m Freestyle.

2010
IPC Swimming World Championships – Gold & World Record in 100m Butterfly. Silver in 50m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke.

2009  
New Zealand Order of Merit 2008  
Voted New Zealand’s Favourite Paralympian
International Paralympic Sports Awards - Best Paralympic Games Debut
IPC World Swimming Championships – Gold & World Record in 100m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke, 200m IM & 100m IM. Bronze in 100m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle & 400m Freestyle.

Nikita Howarth

Nikita is the youngest member of the Glasgow 2014 swim team for New Zealand and is looking forward to the Games.

“I am feeling excited and can’t wait to experience being with a team of able bodied athletes.

"My preparations have been going well as I feel I am ready to compete at the highest level possible,” she said.

Nikita competed in her first major international meet in 2011 at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships.

She won two medals (Silver and Bronze) in the 50m butterfly and 100m breaststroke respectively.

The following year she was the youngest ever Paralympian to represent New Zealand at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Nikita will be competing in the S8 100m Freestyle at Glasgow.

Achievements

2013
Waikato Swimming Awards – Athlete with a Disabilty
IPC Swimming World Championships – Gold in the 200m IM and Bronze in the 50m Butterfly.

2012
Waikato Regional Sports Secondary Schools Awards –Sportswoman of the Year London 2012
Paralympic Games – 6^th in the 200m IM, 9^th in the 100m Breaststroke and 11^th in the 50m Butterfly.

2011
Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships – Silver in the 50m Butterfly and Bronze in the 100m Breaststroke.